Mother's Love Knows No Bounds
by GuardianDragon98
Summary: In celebration of Mother's Day on May 10. All of Berk is celebrating Mother's Day, with Hiccup spending his first ever Mother's Day with Valka. However there's one newcomer to Berk who doesn't have his mother on this special day. Can the gods do something about that? Apparently they can.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm having a busy week here :D**

**In celebration of Mother's Day coming this May 10, I have made this in celebration for all mothers worldwide :) I hope you and all of your moms will always remain happy and I wish you guys an Advanced Happy Mother's Day. Hopefully I can finish this multi-chapter story on Mother's Day itself.**

**NOTE: I OWN NOTHING!**

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**Mother's Love Knows No Bounds**

**Chapter One**

The sweet smell of flowers blooming in May perfumed the air as the sun rose to Mother's Day. Already children were scurrying about with their fathers in their houses to prepare the day's surprises for the lady of the house.

Astrid and her father, Brynjar Hofferson, were busy arranging wreaths of colorful wildflowers around their house's living room for Ingrid. Astrid smiled as she tied a ribbon around the shiny new axe, made by her boyfriend Hiccup per her request, and set it in the corner with a few more gifts from her and her dad. Stormfly helped by pinning up the special banner over the fireplace.

Fishlegs and his dad, Folke Ingerman, painted the Ingerman family crest on a new shield they were going to present to Brenda. Fishlegs petted Meatlug as he arranged the juniper cuttings in a clay pot.

Snotlout and Spitelout were busy cooking up a feast of berry tarts, Gunhild's favorite treat, and grilled salmon. Hookfang was especially helpful as he kept the oven lit for the tarts and his warm skin easily heated the iron skillet up nice and hot for the salmon.

For once, Ruffnut and Tuffnut were working together with their father, Halvard Thorston, in picking up a new dress and a new pair of boots for Jorunn. Barf and Belch are extremely well-tuned to the mother of their Riders' taste and helped the Twins choose a lovely blue dress with horses embroidered on it and some sharp-looking black leather boots.

In the Fiersome household, Zenna and her baby brother, Elias II Stoick Fiersome, assisted their father, Edgar, in transforming their home's living room into a garden of flowers. Stryka, Zenna's one-eyed Night Fury, and Serpent and Serpentine, Edgar and Henna's Hideous Zippleback, were already dazed by the sheer amount of blooms in the room and were both sneezing due to the pollen.

Chief Hiccup was no exception. Even with his Dad, former Chief Stoick the Vast, gone and already busy with running the village, that didn't stop the young Chief from spending an all-nighter with his best friend, Toothless, in planning the most special surprise for his mother.

For the old people in the village, it meant a trip to the seaside to send off miniature long ships filled with flowers to honor their brave mothers who have gone off to Valhalla. Gobber's been doing it for the past decade to remember his mum, Ragna.

Yes, by the time all of the mothers in Berk woke up, everyone was already in good spirits and ready to celebrate and honor them.

Including one…whose mother had left her child all too soon…and had not been giving a traditional Viking funeral on Berk.

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**Feel free to guess who the last paragraph is referring to. But I think you guys already know ;)**

**Read and review.**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi everybody. I have another update here for the Mother's Day Special. Just eight nights left until Mother's Day.**

**This chapter might make your eyes water so have tissues handy.**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD. I ALSO DO NOT OWN THE LYRICS TO "Amhrán Na Farraige" by Lisa Hannigan from Song of the Sea OST**

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**Chapter Two**

Skullcrusher opened his great mouth wide to yawn as he followed his Rider up to one of the cliffs overlooking the sea. The Rumblehorn yawned again, still lethargic from having been woken up so early, and gently nudged the 25-year-old man from behind. "You know, Skullcrusher, you didn't need to wake up the same time as me this morning. I don't have any plans to go flying today," Eret, Son of Eret, smiled and gently patted his dragon's head. Skullcrusher yawned again but still plodded after his master.

'_Well I don't have any plans to go flying today either and who knows what dangers you might get yourself into?_' the Rumblehorn seemed to be saying as he looked at Eret with a bored expression that made the former dragon trapper laugh. "Okay, okay, if that's what you want then…" he chuckled as they finally reached the cliff.

Skullcrusher was about to go find a nice, comfy spot to go take a nap when he noticed Eret's face turn solemn. "_Mrowr?_" Skullcrusher growled curiously as Eret sat on the cliff's edge, his legs dangling over pure air, and opened the satchel he had on him.

Eret's eyes welled up with unshed tears as he pulled out a white shell flute and cradled it in his hands like it were the most precious treasure in the world. And, to him, it was. He remembered how he would always play it at night, as his ship sailed across the waters, under the countless stars. It was one way for him to cope with his suffering given to him daily by Drago back when he was still working for him as one of his trappers. And he could recall the time he had nearly gotten his skull cracked open when Drago had taken all of his meager possessions, which included the very shell he was holding in his hands right now. Drago had tried to smash it to pieces when he bravely threw himself over the shell to keep it from getting destroyed. Begrudgingly, Drago had let him keep it after he had gotten a really bad head wound.

And how could he forget when Teeny, one of the members of his crew, startled him one night while he was playing the thing and he accidentally dropped it into the water? Eret slightly smiled upon remembering how he had dove into the frigid sea to retrieve the shell, which he succeeded in doing so, and had swam back up aboard his ship. Teeny was very lucky he had only gotten yelled at by Eret for almost 15 minutes and didn't receive a harsher punishment from him.

And, most of all, Eret could never forget the day this shell was given to him…including the person who gave it to him in the first place…

_(Flashback Starts)_

'_Three-year-old Eret watched with grave eyes as his sick mother coughed a bit while gently polishing the white shell flute she loved so much. His father was busy cooking dinner for them over the fire. It was snowing heavily that evening and Elisabeth, Eret's mother, just kept getting worse. Her pneumonia had taken a heavy toll on her body, making it gaunt and emaciated, and she could barely speak in above a whisper now. The healer had already come and had told Eret's father, unbeknownst to Eret, to start preparing for a funeral._

_Husband and wife were both shattered but tried to remain cheerful for their only son. Little Eret didn't know…that his Mum was going to die soon._

_Elisabeth finished polishing the shell and then smiled warmly to her dear little boy who was sitting at the foot of her bed. _"Eret, dear, can you come here for a minute?" _she whispered. Eret smiled and crawled into his Mum's lap. _"Do you still remember what I told you about this shell?" _she asked softly. _"The selkies gave you that shell when you were a little girl right, Mum?" _Eret asked, his amber brown eyes sparkling with curiosity. Elisabeth's own amber brown eyes glittered with pleasure at her young son's innocence. _"That they did, Eret. But do you also remember that I promised that I would give it to you when you showed me that you can play it?" _she smiled gently. Eret nodded and looked at the shell flute with keen interest. His Mum had been teaching him how to play the shell flute ever since he was two. It was hard for him at first, because he couldn't quite figure out which holes to cover with which finger in order to produce different notes. But, now, he was already beginning to master it and could play a few short tunes on his own._

_Elisabeth coughed again, worrying Eret, before pressing the shell flute into his little hands. _"Can you play me something, darling? Something beautiful?" _she whispered. _"I'll try, Mum…" _Eret said quietly and glanced at his father. Eret the First smiled encouragingly and nodded._

_Taking a deep breath, Eret began to play…'_

_(Flashback Ends)_

Eret sighed heavily and turned the shell flute over in his hands. Then, hesitating slightly, he put his mouth to the mouthpiece and began to play. Skullcrusher had been watching his Rider carefully and was now watching in awe as sweet music suddenly came out of the shell Eret was holding in his hands.

But, even as he played the familiar melody, Eret felt the tears beginning to well up in his eyes as another memory came back to him…

_(Flashback Starts)_

'_Elisabeth had tears in her eyes as her son blew out one last note and clapped while Eret took a bow. Her husband smiled, having set dinner on the table, and fixed a bowl of stew for Elisabeth while Eret left the shell flute on his Mum's bed to have dinner at the table._

_After dinner and a few minutes before Eret's bedtime, Elisabeth handed the little boy her shell flute. _"You're ready, Eret. This is yours now…Promise me that you will still practice every day when I'm gone…" _she whispered, suddenly feeling very weak. _"Elisabeth…" _Eret the First whispered softly, tears welling up in his pale green eyes. Eret, on the other hand, tilted his head to the side. _"Gone? Mum, are you going somewhere?" _he asked curiously. _"Valhalla…I am going to Valhalla…" _Elisabeth told him. _"What's Valhalla? Is it far?" _Eret asked curiously, still too young to know about the afterlife._

_Elisabeth looked up and saw the worry in her husband's eyes and chose her words carefully. _"Eret…Valhalla is a place where no one grows old, nobody gets sick…those who have suffered in life will be instantly healed when they arrive there…and they feast with the gods…" _she said haltingly. Eret's eyes widened in awe and he smiled widely. _"So if you go to Valhalla, Mum, you will get better?" _he asked, excited. _"Good as new…" _Elisabeth laughed weakly. Eret looked at his father with the biggest grin on his face. _"Da, did you hear that? Once Mum gets back from Valhalla, she'll be all better! Isn't that great?" _he asked, his brown eyes shining with joy at the prospect of his Mum finally getting better soon. Eret the First smiled, his smile not quite reaching his eyes, and ruffled his son's hair. _"It's wonderful news, indeed, son…" _he said softly._

_Eret looked at his Mum with inquisitive eyes. _"Can Da and I come to Valhalla with you, Mum? I'd like to see you get better with my own eyes! And can I meet Odin and Thor?" _he asked, smiling. Elisabeth smiled sadly and shook her head. _"I'm sorry, dear, but I must go to Valhalla on my own…But don't worry. I'll give Odin, Thor and all of the gods and goddesses your regards," _she whispered. Eret slightly frowned but shrugged, respecting his Mum's wishes._

_Elisabeth coughed a bit before beckoning Eret closer to her. Eret crawled into his Mum's lap and was instantly swept up into a tender embrace. He smiled as he snuggled closer to his Mum as she gently stroked his raven black hair. _"I love you, Mum…" _Eret said, feeling sleepy as his Mum rocked him in her arms like he was a little baby again. _"I love you, too, Eret…_I love you forever_…" _Elisabeth whispered to him. Eret smiled and clutched the shell flute closer to his chest._

_That was the last thing he remembered before falling asleep…'_

_(Flashback Ends)_

The music began to falter as the tears began falling from Eret's eyes. Try as he might, he couldn't stop the tears. Another memory, probably one of the most painful ones in his entire life, mercilessly came back to him…

_(Flashback Starts)_

'_He woke up in his room, the shell flute still clutched close to his chest, to the sound of his father crying. Eret got out of bed, placed the shell flute on top of it, and cautiously went to the den where his Mum's bed had been placed ever since she got pneumonia._

_To the little boy's confusion, Elder Mara, the healer and Mr. and Mrs. Fiersome as well as some other people from the village were there with his father. Eret the First was hunched over his beloved Elisabeth, sobbing and holding his wife's pale hand. Elisabeth's eyes were closed, meaning to Eret that she was sleeping._

_But the people in the house and his Da crying over his Mum, who was still there, made Eret worry. Quickly going over to his father, Eret looked up at his Da. _"Da, what is it?" _he asked quietly. His Da just scooped him up and hugged him tightly, still crying. Eret was beginning to get scared._

_Why was his Da crying? His Da rarely cried. And why were all these people here? Why did they all look so sad?_

"Da…? What's going on?" _Eret asked softly. _"Eret…son…I'm so sorry…I'm so sorry…" _his Da whispered brokenly, hugging him and running a hand through his hair. Eret was now beginning to get frustrated with everyone not answering his questions and managed to wriggle out of his father's arms. He climbed onto his Mum's bed and gently shook her shoulder. _"Mum? Mum, wake up. Why are all these people here? Mum, wake up…" _he said softly, wondering why his Mum was taking so long to wake up._

_Elder Mara sighed sadly and had the little boy sit on the edge of the bed. _"Your Mum…has gone to Valhalla, Eret, Son of Eret…She is no longer here…" _she said gently. Eret was confused. How could his Mum be in Valhalla already? She was still here sleeping!_

_As if she could sense the three-year-old boy's confusion, Elder Mara said, _"Her body is still here, but her soul has gone to join the gods…She can never come back here to this world, dear child…I'm so sorry…" _her wise, blue eyes dull with sadness._

_It only took a second for Eret to fully understand the shaman's words…and he didn't want to believe them._

"No…Mum's still here…She's still here…" _he said, in denial, and began to lightly pat his Mum's limp hand. _"Mum, it's time to wake up! Mum, wake up! It's morning!" _he said in the most cheerful voice he could muster. Elisabeth refused to stir and this made Eret be in denial even more. _"Mum, this isn't funny! Open your eyes, _please_!" _he began to beg now, the tears pooling in his amber brown eyes but not yet falling. His father and Mr. and Mrs. Fiersome could only watch, shedding silent tears, as he began to cry out._

"Mum, you can't be dead! If you've gone to Valhalla then you've gotta come back and be okay! Mum, wake up!" _Eret cried, shaking his Mum roughly now only to get no response._

_Finally some of the men made a move to carry Elisabeth's body away to prepare it for the funeral. Eret clung to his Mum stubbornly and it took both his Da and Mr. Fiersome to get him off the bed so they could take his Mum's body away._

"No! No! Mum, you gotta wake up! You gotta wake up! Mummy, don't go! Mummy, don't leave me! Mum! Mum! _MUM!_" _he wailed, thrashing in the arms that held him as he desperately tried to go to his mother. But it was no use…_

_**His Mum was dead…**_

_**Gone…**_

_The funeral was solemn. Many tears had been shed. Elisabeth had been such a great member of the community, always sweet and kind, and she would be greatly missed._

_As his Mum's coffin was lowered into the ground, Eret silently held the shell flute his dear Mum gave to him. It wasn't until all the people had gone and it was just him and his Da standing in front of her grave when he played a soft, melancholy tune…before singing the ancient Celtic song his Mum, a Celt herself, always sung to him…_

_**Idir ann is idir as**_

_**Idir thuaidh is idir theas**_

_**Idir thiar is idir thoir**_

_**Idir am is idir áit**_

_**Casann sí dhom**_

_**Amhrán na farraige**_

_**Suaimhneach nó ciúin**_

_**Ag cuardú go damanta**_

_**Mo ghrá**_

_**Idir gaoth is idir tonn**_

_**Idir tuilleadh is idir gann**_

_**Casann sí dhom**_

_**Amhrán na farraige**_

_**Suaimhneach nó ciúin**_

_**Ag cuardú go damanta**_

_**Idir cósta, idir cléibh**_

_**Idir mé is idir mé féin**_

_**Tá mé i dtiúin**_

_Right after he had sung the last verse, Eret felt his legs wobble. He managed to stagger over to his Mum's gravestone before his knees buckled under him as he began to cry._

"Goodbye, Mum…_I love you forever_…"

_(Flashback Ends)_

Eret stopped playing the shell flute and began to sob, his shoulders shaking as he cried. Skullcrusher crooned in concern and gently nudged his Rider. Eret sniffed and dried his eyes. But his tears had dropped onto his precious shell flute, making it slippery, and it slipped from his hands!

"_No!_" Eret howled in horror as his Mum's shell flute fell down the cliff, shattering into a million white fragments against the rocks rising from the sea down below. The former dragon trapper looked down at the cliff, his eyes wide in horror. He wanted to get on Skullcrusher, fly down there to retrieve the pieces, but he knew that there was no use. His Mum's shell flute, the only physical connection he had to his Mum, was gone.

"_Mum…_" Eret sobbed out, crying a fresh set of tears. Skullcrusher cooed gently and nudged Eret with his nose. Eret turned around and buried his face in his dragon's warm hide, trembling as he cried. "Mum, I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Eret sobbed.

"_Now, why are you saying sorry, dear?_"

Skullcrusher was the first to notice the woman wearing a white dress and seashell necklace and snorted in surprise. Eret was still crying when a gentle hand gently patted his shoulder. Turning around, Eret saw _her_.

Holding the shell flute, that was now whole and looked as good as new, was his mother Elisabeth.

Elisabeth had a warm smile on her face as she handed Eret the shell flute. Eret then realized that he could _feel _his Mum's touch and he just stood there, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"Mum…?" he squeaked out. "Hello, dear," Elisabeth greeted her son with a smile.

Upon realizing that he could see and, amazingly, touch his long-dead Mum, Eret did the most logical thing a person having been given this strange yet wonderful blessing by the gods in Valhalla would do.

And that was to pass out.

'_THUD!'_

Elisabeth winced as her son slumped onto the ground in a dead faint and looked at Skullcrusher. "Did I perhaps startle him?" she asked meekly. The Rumblehorn could only rumble in a way that meant, _'What do you think, lady?'_

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**I've been watching Song of the Sea lately and I can't help but get inspired to expand more of Eret's background. He has a bit of a Gaelic look to him so I figured that maybe he isn't a full-blooded Nordic. My Gaelic and Celtic knowledge is quite slim so I just thought about Eret's mother being a Celt while his father was of Nordic descent so that makes Eret half-Celt.**

**Anyways, read and review. These two things make me very happy :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello everyone. Okay, so the previous chapter was rather…depressing. But for now let's take a break from all that heartbreaking stuff. We'll leave Eret to his unscheduled dirt nap and now focus on Valka Haddock and Henna Fiersome as they begin Mother's Day.**

**NOTE: I OWN NOTHING**

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**Chapter 3**

Valka awoke to Cloudjumper crooning softly to her from the window. Smiling, she got out of bed and petted the Stormcutter as he stuck his head through the window. Cloudjumper warbled and gently nuzzled his Rider with the utmost affection.

"Good morning to you, too, Cloudjumper," Valka said softly and got dressed before proceeding to go downstairs. Toothless greeted her with an excited chirrup and quickly nudged Valka into the kitchen. "Toothless, what's all the fuss about?" Valka laughed before being greeted by the most heartwarming sight.

Sitting on the dining room table, with a painting of him and his Dad, and wearing his special helmet, was a smiling Hiccup. Along with that, a breakfast feast for two had been laid out. "Happy Mother's Day, Mom!" Hiccup said happily. Valka then realized that today was Mother's Day and smiled. "Dear me, I forgot all about that…" she said, a bit embarrassed. Getting up from his seat, Hiccup went over to his Mom and gave her a big hug. "It's our first Mother's Day together. Look, Dad's really happy about it, too," Hiccup smiled, showing Valka the shield. "Oh, Stoick…" Valka sighed, remembering her husband.

Then she noticed Hiccup's helmet.

"Hiccup…what are you doing wearing my old breastplate?" she asked, eyeing Hiccup's helmet curiously. The 20-year-old Chief's eyes widened and he hurriedly took the helmet off. "Uh…Dad gave it to me when I was 15. He actually wore the other one as his helmet. Matching set, he said…I…uh…I honestly thought he was joking…" Hiccup said awkwardly, handing his Mom her breastplate back while wondering how on earth did it even fit her?

Valka took one look at the helmet and at her son's slightly bewildered look before bursting out laughing. "Stoick, you never fail to make me laugh…First, you gave me an oversized set of armor then you used my equally oversized breastplate to make helmets for you and our son…Hmmm…but I have to say the craftsmanship is nice…" she laughed, fondly running her hand against the worn metal.

Hiccup looked surprised. "Wait, so the…thingy didn't fit you?" he asked, confused. "No. Your father was good at designing armor but he was terrible at making measurements. I rarely wore armor back then but I humored him by wearing it sometimes when it was just us in the house," Valka smiled and lovingly ruffled Hiccup's hair.

The young Chief smiled and then remembered breakfast. "Oh, yeah! Toothless and I made breakfast for you and Cloudjumper. Have a seat, Mom. I'm just gonna go give Cloudjumper his fish," he said, kissing Valka on the cheek before going out of the house. Toothless warbled and trotted over to a basket Hiccup had filled with flowers the night before and trotted back to Valka and presented it to her, his tail wagging. "Why, thank you, Toothless," Valka smiled as she arranged the flowers on the table before she began to eat.

"_Ywou'rwe welcwome, Mwiss Vwalkwa…_"

Valka nearly choked on her bread once she heard the words, garbled as they were, come out of Toothless' mouth. She looked at Toothless who merely smiled toothlessly at her. "Hiccup…Hiccup! Hiccup, can you come here for a minute?" Valka called out. Hiccup came back, a little concerned. "Mom, what is it?" he asked. Valka petted Toothless and then slowly asked, "Did you know that Toothless could speak human language like Stryka?"

Hiccup's eyes widened as he realized where his Mom was pointing at and smiled. "Bud, I thought you didn't want to speak human anymore because it was complicated," he said. Toothless wagged his tail. "_I chwangewed mwy mwind_," he replied. "Great Odin's Ghost, you two sure know how to surprise me," Valka laughed softly. Hiccup laughed and joined his mother in eating breakfast.

"So, Mom…it's your day…what do you wanna do?" Hiccup asked as they helped clean the table. Valka smiled softly and gently brushed her hand on Hiccup's cheek. "Honestly, son, all I really want for today is to spend time with you. And I would really like to know more about you and what your life's been like these past 20 years…Odin knows that I've missed so much of your life…" she said, feeling guilty for having left her son without a mother for so long.

Hiccup smiled reassuringly at his mother. "Mom, it's okay…" he said softly before going over to the table and putting his helmet back on, making Valka laugh. "I missed you, Mommy," Hiccup said in a cute little kid voice. Valka felt her heart melt as she went over to Hiccup and wrapped her arms around him in a most tender embrace. "Mommy missed you, too, sweetie…" she whispered as she savored this beautiful moment with her dear baby.

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At the Fiersome household, Henna woke up to Serpent and Serpentine placing a crown of flowers on her head. Smiling, Henna stroked the Zippleback's head before she got up and saw her husband and her two children smiling at her.

"Happy Mother's Day!" Edgar and Zenna greeted her effusively. "We wuv you, Mama!" Elias II Stoick Fiersome cooed adorably and toddled over to Henna to give her a card. "Oh, you three…" Henna sighed and lovingly held the card in her hands. On it was a little kid's crayon drawing of her dear family and their dragons.

"On this blessed Mother's Day, we are your happy and humble servants," Zenna said, curtsying to her mother as if she were a queen. "Aye, we wait on you hand and foot," Edgar bowed courteously to his beloved wife. "Hand and foot!" El giggled and tried to pull off his left boot. Henna laughed and picked El up, kissing his little button nose.

"This lady needs no servants but desires to be with her family on this wonderful day. Can you three arrange that?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling. "Yes, Ma'm!" Zenna and Edgar said obediently and joined in the hug with Serpent and Serpentine entwining his necks around the happy family. Stryka bounded up the stairs, saw the love and decided to join in as well.

Going downstairs, Henna was amazed to see that the living room had been transformed into a garden of flowers. "My, oh, my…" she breathed out before sneezing as wind blew through the house, sending pollen everywhere. "Yeah…we might have overdone it…" Zenna managed to say before sneezing along with her baby brother. "Sorry about the pollen, love…" Edgar mumbled apologetically before sneezing himself.

"It's alright, loves…Let's go bring the plants outside back where they belong before we have breakfast," Henna laughed. And so, the whole Fiersome family spent a good quarter of an hour on Mother's Day morning moving potted flowering plants back outside. Then they all went back inside to have a delicious breakfast with their dragons. Henna was all smiles as she wore her flower crown and joked with Edgar and her kids.

Yep…throughout the entire village of Berk, every mother woke up to a wonderful day with their families and loved ones and Mother's Day on Berk was off to a great start.

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**Feel free to read and review :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	4. Chapter 4

**Another update for Mother's Love Knows No Bounds. Enjoy!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD. All rights go to Cressida Cowell, Dean DeBlois and DreamWorks Animation.**

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**Chapter 4**

The first thing Eret was aware of when he regained consciousness was Skullcrusher licking his face. The Rumblehorn rumbled worriedly and gave the former dragon trapper a really slobbery lick that, finally, woke him up. "Ugh! Okay, I'm up!" Eret groaned, sitting up and wiping dragon slobber off his face. Skullcrusher crooned and nudged Eret with his nose, wagging his tail happily.

"Yeah, yeah…I'm glad to see you, too, Skull…" Eret laughed as he finished wiping the rest of his dragon's saliva off his face. "Are you alright, dear?" Elisabeth asked worriedly, startling Eret. "Mum…? Y-you're still here?" the former dragon trapper asked in surprise. "Of course! And you had me worried! You were out for almost an entire hour!" Elisabeth said and immediately began to fuss over her son, checking him for any head injuries.

"Did you bump your head? Do you have a concussion? Oh, and are you eating well? You look a bit peckish…" Elisabeth murmured as she gently held Eret's face in her hands. Eret was still shocked and tentatively reached out a hand to touch his Mum's face, gently brushing a strand of her long black hair over her right ear. "You're real…You're really real…" he mumbled, awestruck. Elisabeth smiled and gently brushed her thumb against her son's cheek. "I am, Eret…and I've really missed you…" she whispered. Eret felt tears well up in his eyes as he embraced his mother. "I missed you, too, Mum…" he whispered back. Elisabeth smiled gently and softly hummed as she and her son embraced.

Eret felt like he was soaring. For so long he had not felt his mother's gentle touch nor have enjoyed the warm, fuzzy feeling from her tender hugs in a long, long time. And, now, he was. His Mum was so gentle and she smelled really nice, like flowers in bloom with a hint of the scent of the ocean air. Mother and son embraced each other for a few moments before Skullcrusher crooned and tried to get in between the two.

"Oh, right! Mum, Skullcrusher; Skullcrusher, Mum," Eret introduced the two to each other. Elisabeth's amber brown eyes widened in amazement, much like a curious child's, as she stared at Skullcrusher who looked just as curious as she was. "Hello, there…" she said softly, reaching out her hand. Skullcrusher sniffed the human female's hand. He'd never seen her before but she smelled like his Rider and her eyes looked the same as well, indicating that the woman was, indeed, Eret's mother. Skullcrusher wagged his tail happily like a dog and nudged his nose into Elisabeth's palm before nuzzling her affectionately. Elisabeth softly laughed as she petted the Rumblehorn. "Oh, you're such a sweet one…" she said softly as she and Skullcrusher got acquainted.

Eret smiled as he watched his mother pet and play with Skullcrusher, the Rumblehorn warbling happily and playfully licking his Mum's face. "I've always wanted to see a dragon up close. And he is such an adorable one!" Elisabeth gushed as she gave Skullcrusher belly rubs. Then Eret remembered something.

"Happy Mother's Day, Mum," he smiled and gave Elisabeth another big hug. "The gods have finally granted my greatest wish…And that is to finally be with you again…even for just one day…" Elisabeth whispered. Eret pulled away from her and cocked his head to the side. "Oh, so…you can't stay here?" he asked. Elisabeth nodded with a sad smile on her face. "Oh…" Eret's face fell, but brightened up a bit. "Then we might as well make the most of today," he said before looking around.

"Where's Da?" Eret asked, hoping that his father was somewhere around the area. Elisabeth fiddled with her seashell necklace. "Well it's Mother's Day, Eret. The gods only allowed me to come back to the mortal realm for today. And your father, well, he's busy helping Stoick the Vast get used to Valhalla," she told her son. Eret nodded in understanding. "On Father's Day, my dear, perhaps you and your father could do some catching up. And maybe Stoick can join him…" Elisabeth said. "Oh, speaking of Stoick, how is he?" Eret asked. "He's doing fine…although he does worry about his son quite a lot…And for some reason, he keeps mentioning this young maiden named Astrid and…grandbabies…" Elisabeth said, looking a bit confused.

Eret laughed at the last part. "I better tell Hiccup he needs to propose to Astrid soon…" he chuckled. Then he smiled at his Mum. "So, Mum, what do you wanna do?" he asked politely. Elisabeth looked at Skullcrusher and blushed a bit.

"Well, dear…I was wondering if you could take me on a ride on Skullcrusher…I've always wanted to experience the wonders of flight…" she said wistfully. "Say no more, Mum. Ready, Skull?" Eret grinned at his dragon. Skullcrusher wiggled his rump excitedly and waited for Eret and Elisabeth to get on his back. "Alright, watch your step, Mum…" Eret first helped his mother up before climbing onto the saddle with her. "How fast can he fly?" Elisabeth asked curiously. "Well I've never really measured his speed but Skullcrusher's fast enough to keep up with a Night Fury! You want to fly fast?" Eret asked, his amber brown eyes shining with absolute joy. "Yes!" Elisabeth exclaimed excitedly like a happy child.

"Okay, hang on!" with a whoop, Eret got Skullcrusher to take off.

* * *

Back at the Haddock house, Hiccup and Valka were happily chatting while their dragons played outside. Hiccup had taken his stuffed dragon from his bedroom and showed it to his Mom. "I remember this…" Valka breathed out as she lovingly traced Hiccup's name that she stitched into the side. Hiccup smiled and said, "Dad got it back from Trader Johann five years ago. After I threw it into the sea on a fishing trip, it showed up in a fishing net and Trader Johann got it in trade…I'm sorry I threw it away, Mom…It's just that I was still terrified of dragons as a kid, I didn't know what I was doing…" with an apologetic look on his face.

Valka smiled gently and kissed Hiccup's forehead. "No need to apologize, son…In your defense, I may have made it look a bit scary…" she softly laughed. "It doesn't look so scary now. One time there was this thunderstorm and I got really scared. Spike made me feel a lot better," Hiccup told her. "Spike?" Valka asked, raising an eyebrow. Hiccup smiled and cradled the toy dragon to his chest. "I named him," he said simply. "Oh, you…" Valka smiled and hugged him. Hiccup gladly hugged her back. Oh, let somebody come in and see him being all snuggly with his Mom. He didn't mind. He'd been denied of the warmth and comfort of a mother for 20 years and he was determined to do some catching up with his Mom.

"Uh…Mom…I don't know if Gobber and the others have told you about anything that happened between me and Dad the past 20 years but…if it's okay with you…can I tell you?" Hiccup asked hesitantly. Valka looked worried upon noticing Hiccup's slightly uncomfortable face. "Of course, son. Truth be told, I would love to know _everything_," she replied. Hiccup breathed out a relieved sigh. "Okay, but…please don't get mad at Dad's spirit…" he said and began to recount the past 20 years of his life to his mother.

* * *

Meanwhile Henna was having a wonderful time playing outside with El and Zenna while Edgar fed the dragons.

"I'm a Night Fuwy! Raaaaaahh!" El shrieked, wearing the special Night Fury helmet he got for his first birthday, and waved Eret, his stuffed Night Fury, around with gusto. "I'm a Night Fury, too! Plasma blast!" Zenna giggled and proceeded to tickle her baby brother. Henna laughed and giggled as Edgar suddenly came up from behind to tickle her! "You're the greatest treasure our family has, Henna love…" Edgar murmured, kissing his wife passionately. "I believe you're confusing me with our children, dear," Henna smiled as El and Zenna played peek-a-boo.

"Hey, I have an idea! Let's pack up some food and head on over to my island for a picnic!" Zenna suggested. "Yay! Pic-nic! Pic-nic!" El cheered. "A grand idea, Zenna love! And let's bring along some of our family's famous Fish Stew," Henna grinned. Happily chatting, the Fiersome family prepared for their picnic. Once everything had been prepared, they all mounted their dragons and flew off to the Isle of Zen.

* * *

**Read and review whenever you want :)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	5. Chapter 5

**Another update! And keep your eyes peeled, there's a little throwback here that I hope you guys will enjoy ;)**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Wheeeeee!" Elisabeth couldn't help but squeal with delight like an excited child as her son and Skullcrusher took her for a ride through the clouds. Eret laughed as he got Skullcrusher to do a barrel roll, his Mum holding onto him tight as they spiraled through the air. Then he spotted the familiar shapes of Stryka and Serpent and Serpentine flying a few leagues away from them.

"Hey, Mum, how about we go see the Fiersomes? I'm sure Henna and Edgar would be thrilled to see you again," he grinned. But, just as he was about to spur Skullcrusher onward, Elisabeth gently touched his shoulder. "No, dear. I can't…" she said softly. Eret was confused. "Why not?" he asked her. "The gods only gave me permission to interact with _you_. If I try to interact with another human, they'll send me back to Valhalla," Elisabeth told him. "Well, that's not very fair…" Eret said, disappointed. Elisabeth sighed. "Life can sometimes be unfair, Eret. You, of all people, know that better than anyone else…" she said softly. That was something Eret could agree with so he made sure to keep Skullcrusher, his Mum and himself hidden in the clouds.

Then Eret remembered he and Skullcrusher had been working on some tricks for Thawfest and figured that his Mum would like to see them.

"Mum, watch this!" Eret grinned and, to Elisabeth's horror, slid off the saddle and began to free fall! "Eret!" Elisabeth shrieked in alarm as her son fell. Eret laughed as he spun through the air before whistling sharply. Skullcrusher then did a power dive, with Elisabeth holding on for dear life, and caught Eret. "Whoo! Good catch, buddy!" Eret smiled at his Rumblehorn. Elisabeth could hardly believe what just happened and sternly said, "Eret, Son of Eret, I want you to take your dragon back to the cliff and land this instant!" while glaring at her son.

Eret winced a bit, realizing that he'd done something wrong, and politely commanded Skullcrusher to fly back to the cliff they had been earlier. Once the Rumblehorn had landed, Elisabeth hopped off and proceeded to give her son a scolding.

"Falling off a dragon is incredibly dangerous, Eret! What if Skullcrusher couldn't catch you in time? Or, what if you could have snapped your neck as you fell? I know you're a Dragon Rider now but surely you must know better than to try such a dangerous stunt like that!" Elisabeth said, putting her hands on her hips. Skullcrusher looked up at his Rider, crooning softly. Eret's ears turned pink with shame and he looked down Skullcrusher's battle axe-shaped snout. "Sorry, Mum…" he mumbled.

Then he heard his mother sniffle.

Looking up, Eret saw tears in his Mum's eyes. "Mum? A-are you okay?" Eret asked worriedly. Elisabeth let out a small sob, the tears running down her cheeks, before she spoke. "I saw _everything_, Eret…I watched Drago murder your father and…and every horrid thing he did to you after that…Your father and I couldn't bear to see you in so much pain. We begged, pleaded, with Odin to bring us both back to save you but there was nothing that could be done. We could never bear to take our eyes off of you for even just one second, even in eternal paradise, so we were forced to watch you suffer for the past eleven years…When you began to lose sight of who you really were, your father and I were so worried…And when you met Zenna again and helped her and your Chief defeat Drago, we were overjoyed…But then the people of Berk started doubting you…Seeing you go through two months of depression broke our hearts, Eret…especially when you thought that suicide was the only way out for you…Son, it hurt so much to see you hurting…It was unfair…It was so unfair of me to leave you so soon…No mother ever wants to see her child in pain but I was completely helpless and had to watch you go through eleven years of just that…" she managed to say through her tears.

Eret just sat on Skullcrusher, stunned, as his mother shed tears. All this time his Mum had not been enjoying the pleasures of Valhalla because she was always worrying about him. His Da had also been there with her the whole time, the both of them being forced to watch their only child go through a living Helheim for eleven years…

Getting off of Skullcrusher's back, Eret went over to his Mum and hugged her gently. That's when he noticed that he was already taller than his Mum but he hardly cared about that. What Eret cared about now was making his mother feel better.

"Mum, it's okay…You and Da don't have to blame yourselves…And I'm okay now, Mum…I'm okay…" he murmured, running his fingers through his mother's long black hair. Elisabeth dried her eyes before carefully parting Eret's tunic to look at the branding iron scar. Eret blushed, somewhat embarrassed. "Does it hurt, dear?" his Mum asked him softly. Eret knew he couldn't lie to his mother and told her the truth. "Sometimes it does…but not today, Mum…not today…" he said softly and embraced his mother.

Elisabeth smiled a bit and whispered, "I love you, son…I love you so much…" making Eret smile. "I love you, too, Mum…I love you forever…" he whispered back.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the Isle of Zen, the Fiersome family was having a wonderful time at their picnic. El had picked up lots of beautiful tulips with Serpent and Serpentine and was currently learning how to make flower crowns from his big sister Zenna. Edgar was trying to keep Stryka from eating his stew, the one-eyed Night Fury stubbornly trying to get a taste of the Fiersome Fish Stew while Henna watched with an amused smile on her face.

"No! Away, you greedy lizard! Shoo!" Edgar scolded Stryka who pouted and sulkily sat next to Henna and lowered her head into her lap, whining. "Here you go, Stryka dear…And it's got extra mackerel…" Henna laughed, pouring the Night Fury a bowl of stew. Stryka gurgled and proceeded to lap up the stew hungrily.

"Mama!" El giggled as he and Zenna went over to Henna, holding a flower crown in his hands. "El made it just for you, Mom. And he did it all by himself," Zenna said proudly. "Nuh-uh! You helped me, too!" El smiled and presented the crown to Henna. "Happy Mothew's Day, Mama!" he giggled. "Why, El darling, this is such a wonderful gift! Thank you so much!" Henna gushed as Zenna helped her put on the flower crown before scooping up her little boy in a big hug.

Then Zenna remembered a certain someone she knew…who didn't have a mother to celebrate Mother's Day with.

"Hey, Mom…can I ask you something?" she asked tentatively. "Of course, love. Ask away," Henna smiled. Twiddling her thumbs, Zenna carefully asked, "Were you friends with…Eret's mother, Elisabeth?" watching her Mom's face for a reaction.

Henna's smile faded and her expression softened. "Ah, Elisabeth…yes. She and I were very close as children…We were almost like sisters growing up…" she replied softly. "What was she like?" Zenna asked, her father deciding to join in on the conversation. "Oh, Elisabeth was one of the kindest people in the village. She had a heart of gold, was as graceful as a rolling wave and had an ear for music. She was fond of the sea too and spent many days as a child playing by the shore…" Edgar told his daughter. "Did the three of you hang out a lot?" Zenna asked curiously. "All the time, love. It was me, your father, Elisabeth and Eret's father, Eret the First. The four of us earned quite a reputation for being a tightly-knit bunch, especially when we were teenagers," Henna said, smiling a bit.

"Oh, Henna, don't fill the children's heads with stories now…" Edgar blushed, remembering the days he and Eret's father used to court their wives. "Your father and Eret's were the worst flirts in the history of the South…" Henna refused to stop talking and proceeded to tell Zenna and El embarrassing tales of their father's many failed attempts to court her when they were young.

By the time Henna had finished the last story, Edgar was hiding his head in the picnic basket to hide his tomato red face while Zenna and El were laughing along with Henna and their dragons.

* * *

"_Disownment_? First neglecting you, then capturing Toothless to take the rest of the tribe on a suicide mission, and he _disowned you_? Odin above…"

That was all Valka could say after Hiccup had covered the years leading up to the end of the war between Berk and the dragons. Hiccup could only rub his neck sheepishly while his mother paced about the room, a look of sheer disbelief on her face. Toothless was snoozing by the fireplace when Valka accidentally trod on his tail, startling him awake.

"Sorry, Toothless. It's just that…Beard of Thor, Stoick, so _you _were the one responsible for our son losing his left leg?" Valka asked the painting of her husband. "Sorry about that, Val'…" Hiccup said in his Stoick impersonation voice, which he really hadn't used ever since his Dad's death.

Valka looked at her son in surprise. "Now, where did you learn how to impersonate your father like that?" she asked, a bit amused. "Oh, it was easy. I taught myself," Hiccup smiled before launching into another impersonation of his father, this time using the old lines he had said back then when he was 15.

"Excuse me, barmaid! I'm afraid you brought me the wrong offspring! I ordered an extra large boy with beefy arms, extra guts and glory on the side! This here-this is a talking fishbone!"

Valka could hardly contain her laughter while Hiccup took a bow. "Yeah, Dad never really said that but I used to think that's what he thought of me when I was born…" Hiccup said sheepishly. Then Valka managed to stop laughing and gently brushed a hand against the shield painting of Stoick. "Oh, Stoick…I always knew you were no expert in parenting but…" she managed to say before sighing. "Mom, don't blame Dad. He wasn't a bad parent. Just a little…um…misguided," Hiccup said meekly. "Misguided is an understatement, Hiccup, but…I suppose there's no good in blaming your father for what happened to your leg…" Valka sighed before tears welled up in her eyes.

Hiccup noticed this and tenderly embraced his mother. "I miss him…" Valka whispered, tears running down her face. "Yeah…me too…" Hiccup whispered back, a single tear falling from his face.

* * *

**Read and review. Those two things make me happy and inspire me to keep writing ;)**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	6. Chapter 6

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN THE ENTIRE DreamWorks: Dragons FRANCHISE. ALL RIGHTS GO TO Cressida Cowell, Dean DeBlois, DreamWorks Animation and all respective owners.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Eret had run back to his house to go get some lunch but, honestly, he really wasn't that hungry. After a few bites of bread, he filled a basket with fish for Skullcrusher and even bought a berry tart for his Mum. As he left the village to head back to the cliff, where his mother and Skullcrusher were waiting, he bumped into Bucket and Mulch.

"Afternoon, Bucket! Afternoon, Mulch!" Eret greeted them cheerfully, hoisting the basket onto his shoulders. "Well hello there, Eret. Where are you going in such a rush?" Mulch asked the former dragon trapper casually. Seeing that there was no harm in speaking the truth, Eret replied, "I'm off to go spend some time with my Mum." And smiled.

"Oh, tell your Mum we say Happy Mother's Day!" Bucket said, waving his hooked hand, as the young man left. "I will, Bucket! See you!" Eret shouted over his shoulder as he ran off. Mulch looked a bit confused and scratched his head. "I didn't know Eret's Mum was visiting," he remarked.

It was only when he and Bucket go fishing with Eret's crew that afternoon did Mulch ask if they had ferried Eret's mother to Berk. What Bucket and Mulch got was a bunch of confused and sad faces. All of Eret's crew members couldn't visit their own mothers because they lived far away but they still managed to send their dear mothers letters. But Eret, their leader, couldn't send any…because his Mum was already long gone…

Oddly enough, none of the crew directly mentioned this to Bucket and Mulch. The two farmers/fishermen could only assume other things as they left on their fishing trip.

* * *

"And do you remember the time you climbed up onto the top of one of the market stalls during your third birthday? Your father was so worried but he thought that you had wandered off into the marketplace and only looked down while he searched for you," Elisabeth laughed as she helped Eret feed Skullcrusher, the Rumblehorn happily gobbling up the cod like he hadn't eaten in days. "Yeah, I remember. Da was so mad when he finally looked up and saw me on the stall's roof that he wouldn't let me buy the toy sword that was supposed to have been my present," Eret chuckled as he tossed another fish to his dragon.

It was already afternoon and Eret and his Mum were passing the time by recalling old memories. Skullcrusher sat down with a rather cute and curious expression on his face as Elisabeth told Eret stories of her childhood that delighted him to no end. And, oh, how Eret laughed when his Mum told him tales of his Da's many failed attempts to woo the young lady that had grown up to be his mother. But it was the stories of his own childhood that Eret loved the most. He had almost forgotten about his life as a boy in the South due to the eleven years of abuse at the hands of Drago Bludvist. And having his Mum remind him of all the misadventures he had had as a kid was like a breath of fresh air for him. He sat next to his Mum on the grass, drinking in everything with a genuinely amazed look on his face.

"Did I _really _try to launch myself off a catapult when I was two?" he asked, amber brown eyes wide. "You didn't just try, Eret, you really did it. You practically _flew _off the catapult in the direction of the Meade Hall. When your father and I saw you land in one of the hay piles stacked near the door, we nearly fainted when your head popped out of the hay. And you were laughing and shouting, _'Again! Again!'_ Your father swore to me that day that it would be a miracle if he would still have one streak of black in his hair by the time you turned 12. And you know what you said to me when I asked you why would you do such a daring feat?" Elisabeth asked with a coy smile. "No, Mum, but please enlighten me," Eret grinned, eager to know more.

"You said that you wanted, even for just a single moment, to _fly_. And, now, look at you! You're flying almost every waking moment of your life!" Elisabeth smiled fondly. Eret blushed a bit and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I wouldn't have become a Dragon Rider if it weren't for Zenna and my new friends…" he admitted. "Right you are, dear. Now, I'd really like to know more about your other new friends. I know Zenna well enough thanks to your father and I got to meet her in the flesh a few months ago, but I really would like to know more about your friends here as well as your Chief. Is he a good man?" Elisabeth inquired.

"Oh, Hiccup's definitely a good man! Honestly, it's quite an honor to serve him. His girlfriend, _Astrid_ is a whole different story…" Eret said as he began to tell his Mum all about his new, crazy Berkian friends.

* * *

Hiccup and Valka were now enjoying an afternoon flight with Cloudjumper and Toothless. The two of them laughed as they challenged each other to a best tricks competition, their dragons roaring with exhilaration with every successful stunt. At one point, Hiccup tried out his flight suit again but nearly fell into the ocean when the wings didn't open! Good thing Valka caught him in her arms and helped him get back on Toothless. Surprisingly, Valka was quite strong for her age.

"Thanks, Mom…Argh, I need more practice…" Hiccup mumbled, a bit embarrassed. "You'll get the hang of it soon, son…Now, you were telling me earlier that Gobber and the men were busy fixing up the Great Hall for something?" Valka smiled gently at her son. Hiccup's face lit up. "Oh, yeah! We're gonna be having a Mother's Day Feast for all the mothers in the village tonight," he smiled. Valka couldn't help but grin. "Hiccup, that's so thoughtful of you!" she said with a proud smile. "Hey, you and every mother in Berk deserve it. Behind every Viking warrior is their warrior mother," Hiccup smiled, earning an air hug from his Mom.

* * *

El giggled and bounced in Zenna's lap as Stryka flew them back to Berk. Edgar and Henna were happily chatting away on Serpent and Serpentine. Henna was wearing two flower crowns and she had the most radiant smile on her face. '_I can't wait for the big Mother's Day feast tonight!_' the one-eyed Fiersome lady thought excitedly.

* * *

Bucket and Mulch were busy herding a flock of sheep when they passed by the cliff where Eret, Skullcrusher and Elisabeth were. "Oh, Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Eret!" Bucket cheerfully waved to Elisabeth, who waved back with a slightly surprised look. "Eret, everyone's going to the Great Hall tonight. You coming?" Mulch asked the former dragon trapper.

Eret looked thoughtful for a moment. Sure, he wanted to have some fun with his friends but his Mum was going to return Valhalla by the end of the day and he wanted to make the most of last few hours he had with her. He shook his head and politely said, "I'm going to have to pass. Sorry."

Bucket and Mulch looked a bit confused but respected Eret's wishes and left with their sheep bleating behind them.

Eret then looked at his Mum and tilted his head. "That's odd, Mum. Bucket and Mulch saw you but nothing happened," he told her, raising an eyebrow. Elisabeth was silent for a few minutes before shrugging. "The gods work in mysterious ways, Eret. But aren't your friends going to miss you at whatever's happening in the village?" she asked her son. "They won't miss me, Mum. Besides, I'd rather spend what's left of Mother's Day with just you," Eret smiled before Skullcrusher snorted and nudged him. "And Skullcrusher," Eret hastily added only to get swatted in the face by his dragon's wing!

Skullcrusher delighted in that before proceeding to tickle his Rider! It wasn't long before Elisabeth joined in on the fun! "Hahahahahahahahaha! Skullcrusher, come on! Bwahahahahahahahahaha! Mum, no! Please, no! Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Eret wheezed out between his laughs as Skullcrusher licked his face while his Mum tickled his sides. After several minutes of tickle attacks, Elisabeth and Skullcrusher stopped and Eret gratefully flopped down on the grass, still laughing.

* * *

**Yeah, this focuses more on Eret and his mother. Feel free to tell me what you think of this story anytime you want. The next chapter will, however, be the last and shall be posted on Mother's Day.**

**-GuardianDragon98**


	7. Chapter 7

**Last chapter for this Mother's Day Special! I would have posted it yesterday, since it was Mother's Day already in the Philippines, but I was so busy spending time with my Mom :) Love you forever Mama ;)**

**Anyways this story is dedicated to all mothers out there. You are the reason why we are part of this wonderful world and we love you all so much.**

**HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!**

**NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD NOR DO I OWN THE LYRICS TO Lullaby by Nolwenn Leroy**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

The Mother's Day Feast in the Great Hall was in full swing. Drinking horns were filled with ale and flowers adorned the tables. Every mother in Berk was given a special crown of flowers. Hiccup and Zenna had made every single one of them and their fingers were still a little sore from all the preparations. But neither of them cared about that once they saw how happy their Moms were. Valka and Henna were happily gabbing away with Brenda, Gunhild, Ingrid, Jorunn and all of the other women.

Fathers and husbands were also chatting with them, while also bragging about the great lengths they went to in order to surprise their ladies. Meanwhile the seven Dragon Riders were all gathered together in one table. But, to their confusion, there was one empty seat. "Anyone seen Eret?" Hiccup asked his friends only to get shrugs. Zenna looked around worriedly, hoping to spot the former dragon trapper in the crowd of people. "He probably decided to skip the celebration. He doesn't have a Mom, remember?" Snotlout reminded the group, earning groans of disapproval from them. "Snotlout, that's a bit harsh…" Fishlegs told him. "What? It's true, isn't it?" Snotlout said in his defense, his face saddening when Ruffnut gave him a disappointed look with a thumbs-down. "Wait…so…Eret's an _orphan_?" Tuffnut gasped, earning even more groans.

"Seriously? You didn't notice?" Astrid deadpanned. Zenna decided to leave the group to go looking for her boyfriend. Pushing past throngs of people, Zenna craned her neck to hopefully catch a glimpse of Eret's face _(or his rather buff arms, secretly)_ but only saw his crew talking with Bucket and Mulch. Thinking that maybe the men knew of Eret's whereabouts, Zenna approached the group having a round of drinks.

"Ah, evening, Lady Zenna!" Ug, the eldest member of Eret's crew, greeted the one-eyed Dragon Doctor jovially. "Evening, Ug. Ehm…I was wondering if you or any of your friends here saw Eret today? I haven't seen him all day…" Zenna asked politely. Mulch then raised his hand, which held his mug, and replied, "Oh, he's with his Mum at the Eastern cliff, Zenna."

Ug and his crewmates could only look at each other worriedly while Zenna stared at Mulch like he had gone crazy.

"The Eastern cliff…with his…Mum, you say?" Zenna asked slowly, trying her hardest not to look incredulous. Bucket nodded. "Aye, that's right, Zenna. Eret's Mum…she looked like such a sweet lady," he smiled.

Zenna wasn't completely sure whether to nod in reply or tell the duo the truth. Luckily Teeny, another one of Eret's crew members, helped her. "Indeed. Eret's Mum…is a very sweet woman, right Zenna?" he asked. Nodding quickly, Zenna excused herself and went back to her friends. When the others saw her troubled look, they immediately became worried.

"Okay, this is going to sound crazy…but Bucket and Mulch told me that Eret's with his Mum at the Eastern cliff," Zenna blurted out just as her mother sat down with them. Henna looked shocked while Hiccup, Astrid, Fishlegs, Snotlout and the Twins looked confused. "But isn't Eret's Mom supposed to be dead?" Hiccup asked skeptically. "Elisabeth died 22 years ago from pneumonia, lad. She's been gone a long time…" Henna told the Chief sadly. Astrid looked sad as she said, "Eret's probably having some alone time so he can remember his Mom…" the others nodding sadly in agreement. "Oh, Elisabeth…" Henna sighed, missing her old friend.

* * *

Meanwhile Eret and Elisabeth had been having a musical time. Eret was more than happy to play his shell flute as his Mum sang Celtic songs of brave warriors and the story of the Maiden and the Selkie along with ballads about the Fair Folk. Eret had only learnt a little Celtic but he loved the sounds of the words as they rolled off his Mum's tongue. Skullcrusher was also enjoying the music, flitting and jumping around as if he were dancing, as mother and son sang and played.

Then Eret noticed that the sun had already set.

He stopped playing and looked at his Mum with a slightly fearful look. Elisabeth knew what he was thinking about and gently smiled. "How about one last song before I leave, dear?" she asked softly. Eret smiled and eagerly nodded. "Mum, can you…can you sing the lullaby? Please?" he asked hopefully. "Of course, my dear…" Elisabeth smiled before she began to sing…

_**Hush now, my story**_

_**Close your eyes and sleep**_

_**Waltzing the waves**_

_**Diving the deep**_

* * *

_**Stars are shining bright**_

_**The wind is on the rise**_

_**Whispering words**_

_**Of long lost lullabies**_

* * *

_**Oh won't you come with me**_

_**Where the moon is made of gold?**_

_**And in the morning sun, we'll be sailing**_

_**Oh won't you come with me**_

_**Where the ocean meets the sky?**_

_**And as the clouds roll by**_

_**We'll sing the song of the sea**_

* * *

Elisabeth's sweet melodic voice was carried by the wind all the way to the Great Hall, where everyone heard it. "Do you guys hear that?" Snotlout wondered out loud. "You mean some lady singing a song? Then, yes. We hear it," Tuffnut replied. Valka looked curious and turned to Hiccup. "I don't see anyone singing here…" she said to her son, confused. "Maybe it's coming from outside?" Hiccup guessed. Everyone followed their Chief outside where they heard the voice sing…

_**I had a dream last night**_

_**And heard the sweetest sound**_

_**I saw a great white light**_

_**And dancers in the round**_

Curious, everyone in the village, mothers in front and beside their children, began to follow the voice. The next verses they heard now came accompanied by the sound of somebody playing a flute.

_**Castles in the sand**_

_**Cradles in the trees**_

_**Don't cry**_

_**I'll see you by and by**_

Finally they reached the Eastern cliff and Mulch pointed to the three figures at the top. "See? There's Skullcrusher and there's Eret and his Mum!" Mulch told Zenna and the others. "Good playing!" Bucket cheerfully waved at mother and son, who were busy making music together. Henna and Edgar took one look up at Elisabeth and they both nearly burst into tears. El cooed, awestruck at the pretty lady singing while his Uncle Eret played the flute. Zenna merely stared while the rest of the gang exchanged shocked looks.

_**Oh won't you come with me**_

_**Where the moon is made of gold?**_

_**And in the morning sun, we'll be sailing**_

_**Oh won't you come with me**_

_**Where the ocean meets the sky?**_

_**And as the clouds roll by**_

_**We'll sing the song of the sea**_

"It's her…It's really her…" Henna breathed out, tears of joy running down her face. "The gods sure know how to surprise us…They must have brought her back just for Eret…" Edgar murmured, smiling tearfully.

_**Rolling…**_

"Zen, who's that up there with Eret?" Hiccup asked his surrogate sister.

_**Rolling…**_

Zenna smiled, tears in her eyes, and looked at her friends who were waiting for her to answer.

_**Rolling…**_

"That's Elisabeth…_Eret's mother_," the Dragon Doctor replied just as Eret played a solo on his flute.

Everyone watched, in awe, as Eret played his shell flute with all his might. He poured his heart and soul out into every note as he played, the notes coming out sweetly and clearly. And Elisabeth had a look of pure love on her face as she sang.

_**Oh won't you come with me**_

_**Where the moon is made of gold?**_

_**And in the morning sun, we'll be sailing**_

_**Oh won't you come with me**_

_**Where the ocean meets the sky?**_

_**And as the clouds roll by**_

_**We'll sing the song of the sea**_

_**Rock…a…bye…**_

Everyone watched in silence as Elisabeth and Eret finished their little performance. Looking down and seeing the large crowd down below, Skullcrusher nudged Eret. "Whoa…Mum, it looks like we had an audience during that song…" Eret mumbled, spotting Zenna in the crowd. Elisabeth also saw the crowd and smiled. "Well then, I do believe we might as well hear what they have to say about it," she said briskly. Eret smiled and helped his mother up on Skullcrusher before he got on the saddle himself. Skullcrusher flew down to where the villagers were and landed softly on the ground, his two passengers getting down.

"Elisabeth!" Henna cried out and immediately went to embrace Eret's mother. "Henna, it's been so long!" Elisabeth smiled and gladly hugged the woman she had always thought of as her sister. "After all these years…" Edgar murmured, still very much in shock. "Ah, Edgar, so good to see you," Elisabeth lightly laughed. "Hi, Uncle Eret's Mama! You'we pwettwy!" El giggled. "Well aren't you just the cutest little boy? Thank you, dearie…" Elisabeth bent down to affectionately bump noses with El. "It's good to see you again, Ms. Elisabeth," Zenna smiled widely. Elisabeth smiled back at her and hugged Zenna. "It sure is…my future daughter-in-law," she said with a mischievous smile.

Hiccup and Astrid both held back laughs as they saw Eret and Zenna both turn red. "So, you're Eret's mother?" Valka asked. "Yes. And it is quite an honor to meet the mother of my son's Chief, Lady Valka. Your husband, Stoick the Vast, sends his love," Elisabeth smiled. "Wait, you know my Dad?" Hiccup asked in amazement. "When you're in Valhalla, Chief Hiccup, you get to meet a lot of brave warriors who had died in battle," Elisabeth told him before smiling. "And your father wants me to tell you that he is so proud of you, Hiccup. You're off to a great start as Chief," she added, making Hiccup smile. "By the way, Chief, he still wants to be a grandfather!" Eret laughed, making Hiccup and Astrid blush.

Elisabeth laughed as well before looking at the full moon. "The time's come for me to go…" she said. Everyone looked sad at the news but all said their goodbyes. "And, please, keep an eye on Eret for me will you all? Odin knows that he can get himself into a heap of trouble on a daily basis," Elisabeth said jokingly. "Mum…" Eret pretended to whine but he was smiling as his Mum gently brushed her hand against his cheek.

"You'll be a good boy, promise?" Elisabeth asked softly. "I promise, Mum," Eret nodded, his face softened up. Then mother and son hugged for the last time. At that point, everyone had tears in their eyes while Snotlout, Fishlegs and Tuffnut were already shamelessly crying.

Eret embraced his Mum as tears trickled down his face. "I wish I'd had more time to tell you this…Mum…_I love you_…I love you forever, Mum…" he choked out. Elisabeth had tears in her eyes as she gently kissed her son's forehead. "I love you forever, too, Eret…Remember me and your father in your songs and your flute as well as the sea…Remember that I will always love you with all my heart…" she whispered. Eret tearfully smiled. "Happy Mother's Day, Mum," he said. "And this was the best Mother's Day ever, Eret…" Elisabeth smiled before her body glowed with pure white light.

And, with that, she was gone.

Eret looked at the spot where his Mum had stood before looking up at the sky. And he swore that he could see one star shining brighter than all the rest. Smiling, Eret looked at his friends who were all crying. Zenna went over to him and gently wrapped her arms around him. "Are you alright?" Eret asked softly. "Yeah…You?" Zenna sniffled, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "Never better," Eret grinned.

Gobber was the first to regain composure. "Well, now, let's _all _head back to the feast! The mothers haven't even had any dessert!" he said cheerfully, making everyone laugh. Everyone went back to the village, all except for the eight Dragon Riders. "Dude…your Mom's real cool," Tuffnut told Eret. "She is, isn't she?" Eret grinned. Ruffnut eyed the shell flute curiously. "Did she teach you how to play?" she inquired. "Yup," Eret said, popping the 'p' for emphasis. Astrid fiddled with her braid before asking, "Can we…hear you play?"

"Thought you guys would never ask," Eret then played another lovely tune on his shell flute as they all went back to the village for the Mother's Day Feast. And, as he played for his friends, Eret saw that the star he had seen up above had joined with other stars to form a picture of his Mum's smiling face.

'_Happy Mother's Day, Mum…' _Eret thought as he continued his song.

Indeed, a mother's love knows no bounds – even the boundaries between life and death. And his Mum, Elisabeth, certainly proved it.

* * *

**HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOMS OUT THERE!**


End file.
